Wire manipulating tool



Aug. 3, 1937. s. s. COLT WIRE MANIPULATING TOOL Filed Sept. 2l, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENT OR. 52m/ZJ? 2272; BY A ATTORNEY.

0 W ,a w fw W Z H Ww am ,1 Z J 2U .@7/

Aug. 3, 1937. s. s. coLT WIRE MANIPULATING TOOL Filed sept. '21, 195e 2 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 3, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENTl OFFICE 2,088,901 Y L L i WIRE MANIPULATING Toor'.

Samuel S. Colt, Orange-,lill 4 Application september 21, 41936, serial' Ne.101 ,72s

e claims. (o1. 14u-11s)4 if;

This invention has for its principal object tov 1o provide a novel tool for engaging and twisting together the end portions of Wire ties, whereby such ties are tautly drawn about or in assembled connection with bodies or parts to be bound thereby. The novel tool, adapted to so function, may be usefully employed for many purposes, but

is especially useful as a means for tightening and securing wire ties employed in assembling parts of concrete pouring forms, in assembling parts 4 of building structures, and in various similar 90 fields. The invention has for a further object to provide a novel tool for the purposes described, comprising in combination a lever bar having means 4to receive and engage wire ends to apply twist- 5 ing motion thereto when the lever bar is turned about itsV center, and a locking bar rotatably related to said lever bar, having means cooperative with the latter to dispose and grip the wire ends against slip when the wire is subjected` to twisting movement; said lever bar having a centrally disposed adjustable and retractable core element coincident to theV axis of rotation of the tool, this core element being in threaded connection with said lever bar, and having, for prom a tapered wire twist support. i

Other objects `of this invention, not at thisl time more particularly enumerated,` willbe clearly understood from the following detailed descrip-A tion of vthe same. e

Anillustrative embodiment of this invention is.

shown in the accompanying drawings,l in which:-

Fig. 1 is e top man viewer the del Vof this .in-1

Fig. 6 isa front elevation showing the `tool op-I 55 eratively engaged with the tie-wire ends and' in" .W jection from the work opposing face of the latter the act of twisting the same together; and Fig. 7 is a vertical section, taken Y-on line 1 1, the tool being shown in side elevation. Y

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the tool as applied to the vtie-wire ends and in the act 5 of initially twisting the latter to tautened con-V dition while the twists are supported by the op-V eratively advanced tapered wire twist support of the core element; and Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the tapered wire twist support of the l core ele-mentretracted to permit of final operation of the tool to'tighten'the wire twists together, after the wire is fully drawn taut, so as to lock the wire against relaxation from its binding relation to the form structure; these latter l views" are drawn on an enlarged scale.

` Fig. 10 is a face view of a metallic bearing plate, suitable for attachment to a form structure batten, and adapted to provide a bearing for the tie, `especially when said tie comprises extra heavy wire, soft iron rods or like heavy tie material.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to said drawings, the reference character Ill indicates a lever-bar having oppositely and longitudinally extending handles II. Secured to the central portion of said lever-bar to project laterally outward therefrom is a hubsleeve I2. Said hub-sleeve is provided with an internally threaded bore I3. Said lever bar is preferably provided, on one face thereof, with longitudinally disposed ribs I4, the same being Y laterally spaced to provide a seat for a die-member I5. Said die-member I5 has a central opening I6, whereby the same may be vengaged over said hub-sleeve'V I2. Said die-member I5 is iurther r provided with longitudinally spaced dieopenings Il respectively on opposite sides of said 40 central opening I6. [Said lever-bar is provided with openings I8 corresponding to and with which saiddie-openings I1 register. The diemember I5 is preferably, made of hardened steel.

'Y While it is` preferredtdemploy the separable 45 die-member I5, itis nevertheless notessential so to do, particularly in smallerV sizes and cheaper gradesof the tool, since, in the latter case, the openings' Ill of the lever-bar may be suitably sized to serve asdie-openings, and the die-member I5 50 may be omitted. The construction so modiiied is deemed to be `and intended to be within the scope of the instant invention.

Rotatably mounted on` said` hub-sleeve I2 of lever-bar I0 is a locking bar I9 alsoprovided with 55 oppositely and longitudinally extending handles 28. Preferably said locking bar I 9 is spaced outwardly away from said lever-bar III by a, hub` portion 2 I. The outer or free end portion of said hub-sleeve I2 is screw-threaded to receive a keeper nut 22 to retain said locking bar and lever-bar in mutually cooperative assembled relation. Prow'ded in one side margin of said locking bar I9, radially disposed from the common axis of rotation of said locking bar and lever bar at a distance substantially equivalent to the distance 'of one die-opening I1 from such axis of rotation, is a shoulder 23. A similar shoulder 24 is provided in the opposite margin of said locking bar I9, the same being similarly disposed relative to the other or opposite die-opening I1 of said lever-bar. Secured to the locking-bar to project from the under or inner side thereof, and respectively adjacent to the respective shoulders 23 and 24, are abutment pins 25. Said locking bar is further provided at each -side thereof, and longitudinally spaced from the respective shoulders 23 and 24, with laterally projecting outwardly off-set bender hooks 26, the internal bights 21 of which are adapted, on reverse rotation of said locking bar relative to said lever bar, to engage and straighten out wire ends when it is desired to remove the tool therefrom, as will later appear.

Threaded through the internally threaded bore I3 of the hub-sleeve I2, forA longitudinal adjustment, is lthe externally threaded body of a core element 28. Said core element is provided at its inner end for projection from the work opposing face of said .lever-bar I0, with a tapered wire twist support 29. Connected with the outer end of said core element 28 is a suitable hand engageablemeans by which the core element may be turned to screw the same forward or backward through the hub-sleeve I2. Illustrative of one suitable form of such means is the transverse lever bar 30l which is mounted through the outer end portion of said core element 28.

Illustrative of one use of the novel wire manipulating tool of this invention, I have shown, in Figs. 4 to '7 inclusive of the drawings, the application of the tool to U-shaped wire ties W employed to bind together the frame or batten members 3| and sides 32 of a concrete pouring form. In such oase the frame or batteri members 3| are disposed against exterior faces of the form sides 32, the latter being spaced apart by intermediate spacer or spreader struts 33. The wire tie W is disposed to embrace one frame or batten member, extending therefrom through the sides and interior of the form, with the ends thereof engaged about the other frame or batten member.

To operatively apply the tool to the wire tie end portions W', the core element 28 is advanced through the bore I3 of the hub-sleeve I2, to thereby project the tapered wire twist support 29 from the work opposing face of the tool. With the locking lever I swung or turned to an angular positionwhereby the die-openings I1 are exposed, the wire tie end portions W are respectively entered through the respective die-openings I1 to extend therethrough, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. When the tool has been thus initially applied to the wire tie end portions W', the locking bar I 9 is turned (in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4), thereby carrying the shoulders 23 and 24 respectively into vengagement with the projecting wire tie end portions (as is shown in Figs. 4 and 5). The turning. of the locking bar I9 is thereupon continued `until the same is brought into longitudinal alignment with the lever bar I 0. This continued movement of the locking bar I9 relative to the lever bar I, acts upon the projecting wire tie end portions W', through the engaging shoulders 23 and 24, to bend over said wire ends exteriorly of the die-openings I1 and into abutment with the abutment pins 25, thereby gripping or snubbing the wire ends against lengthwise slip relative to the die openings I1.

Upon accomplishment of the above described operations, the user grasps the parallel handle portions of both bars I0 and I9, and turns the entire tool about the central axis thereof and in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 6. The effect of this movement is to produce a twisting movement of the wire tie end portions about the tapered wire twist support 29 of core element 28, thereby both drawing tight the stretches of wire extending around the frame or batteri members and through the form, to bind the form sides and spacers tightly together in assembled relation, while also starting the intertwisting of the ends of the wire tie together. The advantages of using the support 29 is that it provides a bend guiding means and support about which the twisted convolutions of the wire tie ends may form, thus eliminating risk of kinking the wire with resultant likelihood of breakage thereof, and consequently permitting the wire tie to be drawn to maximum tautness quickly, safely and efficiently (see Fig. 8).

After the wire tie end portions W' have been twisted together with their intertwisted convolutions formed upon and supported by the tapered support 29, in the manner above described, the operator thereupon backs out the core element 28 through the hub-sleeve I2 to thereby withdraw the tapered support 29 from the formed and intertwisted wire end convolutions, whereupon by again turning the tool in clockwise direction the inner intertwisted wire end convolutions are tightened together and firmly and mutually interlocked against any relaxation from their tautened form structure tying relation (see Fig. 9).

When the wire tie ends have been interlocked as stated, thetool is released from the wire extremities and removed. This is done by turning the locking lever I9 relative to the lever bar I 9 in anti-clockwise direction, i. e. in direction opposite to that of the arrow in Fig. 4. Such movement of the locking lever carries the bender hooks 26 into engagement with the bent over end portions W of the wire with lifting effect thereon, so that the same are up-bent back to normal substantially straight outward extension from the dieopenings I1, whereupon the tool may be drawn outwardly and away from the wire ends and thus removed from the nished work.

The tool of this invention is capable of manipulating extra heavy wire and even ties of soft iron rod material. When using such heavy tie material it is desirable to provide the batten members 3l of the form structure with protective bearing plate means over which the ends thereof may be drawn. A bearing plate means siutable for such purpose is shown in Fig. 10, and comprises a metallic plate-like body 34, preferably somewhat longer than the width of the batten upon which it is to be applied. This body 34 may be secured across the face of the batteri, as by driving nails through perforations 35 provided for the purpose. When so arranged the ends of said body project beyond the upper and lower sides of the batteri; these ends being provided with suitably shaped notches 36 to engage the tie wire or rod end por- 75 tions at points where the latter are drawn and bent over the corners of the batteri. Said bearing plate prevents undue crushing or mutilation of the battens, when the Wiresor rods are tautened and secured. Y

I am aware that changes could be made in the above describedtool structure, and that many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof. It is therefore intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claimt- 1. A tool of the kind described, comprising a lever bar having spaced openings for the extension therethrough of wire end portions desired to be twisted together, a locking bar rotatably connected with said lever bar, said locking bar having means to engage and bend projecting parts of said wire end portions against withdrawal from said lever bar openings, a wire twist supporting means carried by the tool and aligned with the axis of rotation thereof, and means to advance and retract said supporting means.

2. A tool ofthe kind described, comprising a lever bar having spaced openings for the extension therethrough of wire end portions desired to be twisted together, a locking bar rotatably connected with said lever bar, said locking bar having means to engage and bend projecting parts of said wire end portions against withdrawal from said lever bar openings, a core element aligned with the axis of rotation of the tool, said core element being adjustably movable along said axis, and a wire twist supporting means extending from the inner end of said core element and adapted to be advanced or retracted by manipulation of the latter.

3. A tool of the kind described, comprising a lever bar having a central hub portion provided with an internally screw-threaded bore, said lever bar having openings respectively spaced therein on opposite sides of said hub portion for the extension therethrough of wire end portions desired to be twisted together, a locking bar 'rotatably mounted on said hub portion over said lever bar, said locking bar having means to engage and bend projecting parts of said wire end portions against withdrawal from said lever bar openings, a core element threaded through said hub bore having a tapered wire twist supporting means adapted to be projected or retracted :from the work opposing face of the tool by manipulation of said core element.

4. A tool of the kind described, comprising a lever bar having a central hub portion provided with an internally screw-threaded bore, said lever bar having openings respectively spaced therein on opposite sides of said hub portion for the extension therethrough of Wire end portions desired to be twisted together, a locking bar rotatably mounted on said hub portion over said lever bar, said locking bar having means to bend over projecting parts of said wire end portions when said locking bar is turned in one direction relative to said lever bar, said locking bar also having additional means to engage and bend back to initial position said bent wire end portions when said locking bar is turned in the opposite direction relative to said lever bar, a core element threaded through said hub bore having a tapered wire twist supporting means adapted to be projected or retracted from the work opposing face of the tool by manipulation of said core element.

5. A tool of the kind described, comprising a lever bar having spaced openings for the extension therethrough of wire end portions desired to be twisted together, a locking bar having means to bend over projecting parts or said wire end portions when said locking bar is turned in one direction relative to said lever bar, said locking bar also having additional means to engage and bend back to initial position said bent wire end portions when said locking bar is turned in the opposite direction relative to said lever bar, a wire twist supporting means carried by the tool and aligned with the axis of rotation thereof, and means to advance and retract said supporting means.

6. A tool of the kind described, comprising a lever bar having spaced openings for the extension'therethrough of wire end portions desired to be twisted together, a locking bar having means to bend over projecting parts of said wire end portions when said locking bar is turned in one direction relative to said lever bar, said locking bar also having additional means to engage and bend back to initial position said bent wire end portions when said locking baris turned in the op-posite direction relative to said lever bar, a core element aligned with the axis of rotation of the tool, said core element being adjustably movable along said axis, and a wire twist supporting means extending from the inner end of said core element and adapted to be advanced or retracted by manipulation of the latter.

SAMUEL S. C'OLT. 

